Forest Surprises
by therecordwontstopskipping
Summary: Lily is thinking about the mystery that is James Potter when she discovers a stag in the forest.


**Disclaimer: This is FANfiction, not WRITERfiction...**

**AN: This is my first story, hope you like, blah, blah blah...**

Lily Evans walked along the edge of the Forbidden Forest, her hands brushing along the trees

Lily Evans walked along the edge of the Forbidden Forest, her hands brushing along the trees. She threw a glance at the magnificent castle behind her before silently sliding in.

"Lumos," she muttered. Her wand tip lit up the pathway in front of her but she still stumbled over some fallen twigs. She reached where she headed in twenty minutes. Lily stood at the edge of a clearing, a river gurgling close by. The grass rippled in the evening breeze and the sweet scent of flowers drifted over to her. She inhaled deeply before smiling lightly. Lilies.

She walked over to the middle of the clearing and sat down Indian style. Lily closed her eyes and relaxed. Today, she had seen Sev, but he ignored her. After that disastrous day during their OWL's, he had ignored her. It hurt. After all, Sev had been her first magical friend. He introduced her to the magical world. He saved her from the bullies. Oh Sev, she thought sadly. What have they done to you?

Lily sighed before stretching out her legs. She lied on her back, humming lowly. The song was beautiful, yet sad at the same time. Potter and his lackeys was the reason that Sev ignored her. They ridiculed him and bullied him, but Sev always retaliated, making him just as bad at them. But lately, Potter stopped and just ignored Severus all together. What had happened over the summer? She was thinking about what to do. Potter had grown up in the last 2 years, but maybe that was just because he became Head Boy.

_Or, he became Head Boy _because_ he grew up, _the smart part of her brain was saying to her. It seemed to be shoving it in her face, but she didn't understand why. At first, she thought that Dumbledore was high when he made Potter Head Boy. Why else would he make the holder of the most detentions in Hogwarts history and leader of the Marauders Head Boy? It made no sense!

But then Lily got to Hogwarts. Without even realizing it, she began watching him to see how Potter interacted with the students. Almost every night, he was helping any Gryffindor, with any thing, whether it was relationship problems, homework, or they just needed advice. Potter was so sweet, from comforting homesick first years, to helping everyone. And it wasn't just the Gryffindors either. Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and even some of the younger Slytherins came to him. He was there role model and per-

_NO, NO, NO! STOP THINKING LIKE THAT! _Lily screamed at herself. She let out a low frustrated scream and closed her eyes.

_In. Hot boys on the beach._

_Out. Hot shirtless boys serving drink to me._

_In. Shirtless Potter serving me a drink_

Lily's eyes popped open. What. The HELL was that?! Did she just think of (Lily shuddered) _Potter?_ No, no, no, this wasn't going to work. She needed to hate him, she needed to despise him. Lily had to be his worst enemy. But Lily was getting tired of the charade. She didn't want to hate him. She didn't want to despise him. But she had to. Appearances are everything after all. Lily sighed again (she was doing a lot of that tonight) and looked around the clearing she was in.

Ever since the beginning of the year, Lily was getting feelings for him. She hated it and wanted it to go away, but at the same time was dieing to jump Potter's bones. She shivered in the breeze. Why couldn't she just make up her mind? One day she hates him, the next she's in love with him!

Lily almost choked as the thought went through her mind. Love? If that's what the stomach jumping, heart pounding, dizziness was whenever she saw Pot- James (she thought that she should begin to call him that), then yes, she loved him. Lily closed her eyes in thought.

He had changed a lot since first year. Now James was good natured, kind, and (dare she even risk it?) mature! What the hell had happened over summer to him? Lily pondered this for a little while before sighing and shaking her head. There was just no winning to this, was there?

Even if she did like James (which she did…a lot) he had stopped asking her out, so she couldn't even just say yes! He probably didn't want to risk their newly found friendship. He was so nice and kind to her, though and it made Lily love him even more. She let out a frustrated scream. Why did this have to be so bloody difficult?

SNAP!

Lily whirled around, her wand in her hand. She muttered under her breath and her wand tip lit up. The beam of light went through the trees-and landed on the most magnificent stag Lily had ever seen.

Lily gasped and lowered her wand slightly, to show she meant no harm. The stag in response lowered its head and pawed the ground. Lily walked up to it slowly and held out her hand. The stag walked towards her and nuzzled it. Lily smiled faintly and rubbed its head.

She went back to the center of the clearing, the stag following her. Lily sat on the ground and the stag folded its leg and rested it's head on her thigh. Lily sighed and began to talk to the stag, while absentmindedly rubbing it's head.

"You know, there's this guy at school and I used to hate him, but now…there's something about him that I love. He's been so kind to me (and everyone else for that matter) lately and he's just so…changed. I used to hate him, but now…I think I-I think I might," she took at deep breath, steadying herself, "love him." There, now that wasn't so hard, was it?

The stag, to put it mildly, looked astounded.

Lily went on, not noticing it's reaction. "He used to be just so bloody arrogant, but now…he's changed. I can't explain it, but I just love the way he is now."

Now the stag was looking quite pleased with himself.

"He's more mature, he's kind, he's more helpful, and he even stopped ruffling his hair! I mean, it's already a mess, why would he mess it up more?" she laughed and shook her head. "I don't know what about him has gotten me so smitten-" Here the stag looked like it was going to start jumping up and down for joy "-but I just love it about him. Maybe it's the fact that he's stopped asking me out every five second…" she trailed off, lost in her memories.

She gave her head a little shake and started talking again. "But because he's stopped asking me out, I can't say yes to him! Ugh this is too bloody difficult!" she looked down at the stag puzzled. It seemed to be laughing. Nah, she thought. Stags don't laugh.

"Anyway Mr. Stag," (The stag would have been laughing if it was human) "I have to go and hunt down my fellow Head Boy. See you later." Lily stuck out a hand and gave him one last scratch.

The next day, James Potter asked Lily Evans out one last time. You could hear his triumph scream through out the castle.

**AN Wahlah/Tada! and there you have it! **


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